The Monday Night Football matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Washington Commanders outdrew Game 3 of the World Series in television ratings. Is football still the king of sports in the United States? Absolutely—and the numbers prove it.
According to The Sports Rush reports, Nielsen, Fox, and MLB, American football attracted more viewers than baseball once again. The 18-inning marathon between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays averaged 11.31 million viewers in the U.S., peaking at 13.17 million during extra innings.
It was, without a doubt, an exciting game, highlighted by Freddie Freeman’s dramatic home run in the early morning hours. However, it couldn’t dethrone Monday Night Football. The NFL showdown between the Chiefs and Commanders drew a total of 17.6 million viewers across ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, and NFL+.
Mahomes and the NFL dominated American television, making Week 8’s MNF broadcast the most-watched since 2014, easily surpassing the World Series.
15 making it look easy 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/8luK8NLXoJ
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) October 29, 2025
Fans reacted immediately
Social media exploded with comments: “Mahomes is more popular than Ohtani!” wrote one fan. Others added, “Baseball has been dead for years,” and “MNF was a 21-point blowout. It’s insane how popular the NFL is!” Another user wrote, “Crazy. MNF was just an average matchup.”
Mahomes also praises Ohtani
Ohtani’s audience actually grew this year. When combining Canadian and Japanese viewership, the total climbed to 17.62 million across North America—slightly edging past the NFL game.
Despite the numbers, Mahomes showed admiration for the Japanese superstar’s historic performance. “Being able to throw 100 and then hit home runs… it’s remarkable,” said the Chiefs’ quarterback. “He’s one of the best pitchers in the league, if not the best, and also one of the best hitters—top two, with him and Aaron Judge.”
Once again, football’s nationwide pull proved unmatched, but Mahomes’ respect for Ohtani reminded fans that greatness transcends sports.
